


Always Come Back.

by 360loverpenguin



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Study - Sokka, Episode: s01e15 Bato of the Water Tribe, Gen, Homesick, Water Siblings Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26610832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/360loverpenguin/pseuds/360loverpenguin
Summary: Sokka let out a shaky breath as he shut his eyes. By all accounts, seeing Bato should’ve made him feel better. But when he shut his eyes and remembered the way they had laughed over stewed sea prunes huddled around the fire only made him wish it had been his father instead.He sighed. Maybe unfamiliar was better. It hurt less when it didn’t remind him of a time when their family was all together.
Relationships: Katara & Sokka (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	Always Come Back.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'Homesick' for Water Siblings Week 2020!! Couldn't resist a closer look at some of Sokka's insecurities here. Enjoy!!

Sokka let out a shaky breath, drawing his knee closer to his chest. The wind, that was much warmer than what he was used to, felt suffocating as it burned against his dry eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment, dark night sky blurring when he forcefully drew them open.

He there his shoulder backwards, focusing his strength into his arm as he hurled his boomerang as far as he could manage from where he sat. He blinked as he waited for its’ comeback, all thoughts and emotions freezing for the few seconds it was gone.

Soon enough, it came back, familiar weight of the blue shaded metal coming to a stop against his palm. He frowned down at the weapon as he turned it over in his hand. At least it always returned.

Sokka shook his head in an instant. That wasn’t fair. His dad had no choice. He had to leave, to fight, that was what mattered. He would save a lot of people. Even if it meant leaving him behind.

He drew back his arm once more, tossing the boomerang - the one that had once belonged to his dad - again. This time it arced in a sharp curve, anger spiralling it farther than intended. His father was off fighting, and what had he been doing? His dad had given him one job; protect the village. And here he was, in the middle of the Earth Kingdom, who knows how far from home.

The weapon came back, but this time Sokka didn’t catch it. It slammed against the tips of his fingers before slipping through, landing beside him on the small cliff. He drew his wrist back, hissing slightly as he shook it out, impact echoing through his arm. He rested his chin on his leg. But he was making a difference, he reminded himself. Helping the Avatar. Maybe that wasn’t so different from what his dad was doing. Wherever he was.

Rubbing a fist against his eyes, Sokka shook all those thoughts out of his head. Nothing in him regretted befriending Aang, leaving home, agreeing to help someone who was just a scared kid. Just like he and his sister. He let out a long breath through his teeth.

But he did miss home.

By all accounts, seeing Bato should’ve made him feel better. After all, it wasn’t often that here, miles and miles from the South Pole, there was something familiar. And it was Bato, of all people. Sokka could remember him babysitting him and Katara when they were kids, or convincing his dad to let Sokka come on their fishing trips. He was the closest thing to an uncle he’d ever had.

And yet. When they were gathered around the campfire, eating a dish that tasted like home, just like Gran Gran would always make, it only made him wish that he was sitting with his father instead.

He sighed. Maybe unfamiliar was better. It hurt less when it didn’t remind him of a time when their family was all together.

If he shut his eyes, and reached to the far edges of his memory, he could grasp at a foggy hint of a memory. All of them, gathered on the fur covered floor of their home, laughing as mom and dad traded stories as he and Katara fought over dessert. The memory was foggy. Especially his mother’s face. No matter how hard he tried, it felt like his mind couldn’t recreate her features. But he could hear her laugh. It was loud, just like his, but more high pitched, like his sister’s. He wished there was someway to capture it from the memory so it wouldn’t fade too.

His eyes snapped open as he heard footsteps falling behind him. He dropped his leg down from his cheek, allowing it to hang off the side of the rocky cliff.

He didn’t need to turn around to know it was his sister. He always walked off when he needed to think; and she usually followed him (which was exactly as annoying as he claimed). But tonight he didn’t brush her off. She was the only piece of home he still had with him.

She silently sat down next to him. Sokka looked up towards the endless ink coloured sky. He was sure the smattering of stars made constellations, but here, there weren’t any he could name. Not like in the south, where he had stories to pair with all the flickering lights.

“I miss dad,” she finally whispered, her eyes set on the same sky as his.

“Yeah.” He took a long breath. “I do too.” He knew she felt the same way he did, but there wasn’t anything he could say that would make this hurt less for either of them.

He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side. Katara moved her head to rest against his shoulder.

Without saying a word, she picked up his boomerang, setting it back into his hand.


End file.
